Alzheimer’s Disease: Can You Prevent It?

Alzheimer’s disease most often afflicts persons aged 65 upwards, yet younger people have also been diagnosed with this illness. It is a serious neurodegenerative disorder which can you counteract, though.

Alzheimer’s disease causes microscopic changes in certain parts of the brain and gradual loss of acetylcholine – chemical substance responsible for proper functioning of this organ. Acetylcholine allows communication between nervous cells, which means its concentration has a direct impact on learning, remembering and thinking. If Alzheimer’s disease is advanced, basic mental capabilities are found to be clearly malfunctioning.

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?

So far the medicine has not found any answer to the question of what causes Alzheimer’s disease. Little is known about factors which raise the risk of going down with the disease either. Nevertheless the studies conducted so far give rise to the following claims:

• Alzheimer’s disease most often afflicts persons aged 60-65.
• It is women rather than men who are afflicted by the disease more frequently.
• It may be genetically conditioned.

It is important that we emphasize that the growth of Alzheimer’s disease is fostered by unfavorable environmental factors, such as polluted air and water, addictions (alcohol and cigarettes), fat-rich diet.

Alzheimer’s disease: symptoms

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease happen to be hard to notice and entail impaired remembering skill. Memory losses are too short and therefore we cannot assign them to serious brain disorders. With time the problems related to memory prove to be more and more noticeable, until the sick is unable to live on his or her own. The memory loss is accompanied by gradual loss of logical thinking capability, understanding certain words, taking basic activities (such as tying laces up or buttoning), as well as general disorientation and personality changes. Also depressive mood is likely.

How to prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

Although we still do not know precise causes of the disease, we can delay its growth. It is important that you identify early signs of the disease – the earlier you are diagnosed, the more likely you are to hinder it effectively. It is crucial that you exercise memorizing and other brain functions, particularly the ones responsible for abstract thinking. This is why older persons are advised to read books, do crosswords and undertake other forms of mental activity.